Loading apparatus



Junelo, 1930f R. s. BoLGER LOADING APPARATUS Filed oet. 27, 1928 9 sheets-sheet IAN INVENTOR ATTO R N EY WITNESS:

9 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 27. 1928 N @NUE INVENTOR ATTORNEY WITNESS:

June 1 0, 1930. R s BOLGER Y 1,763,499

LOADI NG APPARATUS Filed Oct. 27. 1928 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 June l0, 1930.

LOADING APPARATUS R. s, BOLGR I I `1,763,499.

Filed 0G11. 27, 1928 9 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR ATTORN EY WITNESS: i

Jupe, 1o, 1930.

WITNESSm R. s. BOLGER 1,763,499

LOADING APPARATUS Filed 001'.. 27, 1928 9` Sheets-Sheet I 6 INVENTOR I j I A BY aw ATTOR N EY June 1o, 1930.

R. s. BOLGER 1,753,499

LOADING APPARATUS Filed ot. 27. 1928 9 Sheets-Sheet 8 iNvENToR ATTORN EY Z0 1.7 l 4f@ June l0, 1.930. R s, BOLGER 1,763,499

LOADING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 27, 1928 9 Sheets-Sheet 9 i k INVENTOR I BY WITNESS%` Y ATTORNEY Patented June 10, 1930 ITED STATES PATENT ori-fica ROBERT s. BOLGER, or JAMAICA, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR To JOSEPH AMEND'OLAEA, or NEW YORK, N. Y.

LOADING APPARATUS Application filed October 27,` 1928. Serial No. 315,452.

This invention relates to improvements in loading apparatus for motor dump trucks of the kind used in the collection of ashes, garbage and other refuse, which requires the lifting and dumping of cans from the street `level into the truck.

The principal object therefore, is to provide apparatus for lifting and dumping the cans to avoid the strenuous manual labor commonly resorted to, and the loss of time required thereby. i

Another object of the invention resides in the mounting of the apparatus free of the body of the truck to avoid manual operation of parts to disconnect certain other working parts in order to effect a dumping of the body to empty the contents thereof.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a loading apparatus including can carriers mounted on opposite sides of truck on which the cans to be dumped are placed, and automatic means for locking the cans upon` the carriers at the start of their upward movement and for releasing thecans just prior to their return to the limit of their downward movement, whereby it is only necessary for an operator to set the loaded cans in position, place the hoisting and lowering mechanism in operation and remove the empty cans therefrom.

With these and other objects in view, the invention resides in certain novel construction and combination and arrangement of parts, the essential features of which are hereinafter fully described, are particularly pointed out in the appended claims, and are illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which i Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved loading apparatus in position upon a motor truck showing the body in a slightly tilted position. i

Figure 2 is a top plan view with the body removed.

Figure 3 is a verticaltransverse sectional view on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4: is an enlarged fragmentary end elevation showing one of the can carriers in a dumping position.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary side elevation looking at right angle at Figure 4.

Figure 6 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view on the line 6 6 of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view on the line 7 7 of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a horizontal sectional view on` f the line 8-8 of Figure 1.

Figure 9 is a similar view on the line 9-9 of Figure 1.

Figure 10 is a detail Vertical sectional View on the line 10-10 of `Figure 1.

Figure 11 is a detail horizontal sectional view on'the line 11-11 of Figure 1.

Figure 12 is an enlarged detail vertical longitudinal sectional view through one of the screw driving transmissions.

Figure 13 is a detail vertical transverse sectional view on the line 13-13 of Figure 1.

Figure 1li is a. similar view but showing the can carrier in a partially raised position.

Figure 15 is a detail vertical sectional view on the line 15-15 of Figure 1.

Figure 16 is a similar view showing the can carrier in dumping position.

Figure 17 is a fragmentary elevational view of one of the can carriers.

Figure 18 is a horizontal sectional view through one of the I beams showing the manner of slidably mounting a carriage there- Figure 19 is a vertical horizontal sectional view through the power take-oftl and its driven parts.

Referring to the drawings by reference characters, the numeral 10 designates a motor truck including a chassis 11 upon which a metal frame structure 1Q is supported and which rises therefrom. rlhe chassis supports a tiltable dump body 13 pivoted thereto at the rear as at 14,. Arranged along` opposite sides of the chassis are hoisting and dumping mechanisms A and B, each independently operable with respect to the other and of identical construction. For the sake of clearness, only one ofthe hoisting and dumping mechanisms will be described wherein I-beams 15 are bolted to the cross rails 16 supported by the chassis and rise vertically therefrom above the ton of the frame structure 12.

Slidable vertically upon the I-beams are body of the truck.

faces 24 which engage the inner sides of they outer base of the Lbeam whilebevelled faces.

25 thereon bear against and ride over the web of the beam as clearly shown in Fig# ures 8 and 18 of the drawings. From4 the defscription thus far, it will be seen that the rollers 20 and 23 co-act to mountthecarriage on the Lbeam for free sliding movement 'alongthe length thereof'for lifting and'loweringthe can carrier 41j8V withlrespect tothe The can carrier 18 above referredv to includes a U-shaped frame 2 6. constructed of angle bar metal having longitudinal brace strips 27 extending thelength of thevsame. The frame has trunnions 28 extendingl from opposite ends thereof which have their bearings in the lower ends ofthe carriage frames 19'for turnablyrsupporting the carrier frame thereon. Y

Hingedly connected to the carrier frame 26 as at 29 is a platform 30 which when lowered for use extendshorizontally from the frame, but which maybe swung to avertical inoperative position when not inuse as shown at theleft in Figure 3- ofthe. drawings so as not to project needlessly froml the side of the truck. Clips 31 are pivotally mounted at the top of the carrier frame for engaging the upper edge of the platform to support vthe lmi r For properly same in a raised position. The lowermost level of thecan carrier is such that the platform clears the topofan average height street curb when in horizontalposition as shown at the right in Figure 3`of the drawings, toenable a loaded can tobev placed on the platform with little effort on the partof a truckman. v

seating the loadedcans or receptacles 32 upon the platform, ;I provide the same with equi-distantly spacedfplates 33 having their inner'edges arcuate shape as at 34to conform to the curvature fof the'bottom rim of the cans. Thexcans are slidinwardly over the platform until the innerv edge clears ther bottom rim'r whichv locks therebehind against accidental shifting.

The can carrier 1-8 -is provided with automatic individual'canclamping means which embodies individual bearings 35 mounted upon one of the longitudinalfbrace angle bars 27 in alignment with the'respectivec'an seats. Pivoted: in4 each bearing is a can engaging hookV having a1 rearwardly extending arm 37 to which a `link1 38 is pivotally connected, which in turn is. pivotall'y connected' to an arnr 39; The arms 39rofall of thel individual clampingi means are` ixedly mounted lon. a

single shaft 40 journalled in bearings 41 provided on one of the brace bars 27. All the hooks 36 are operable simultaneously by the actuation of the shaft 40 to engage the top rims of the cans as the carrier starts its upward movement and release the same just prior to the limit of its downward movement. The shaft is actuated by imparting reverse turning movements thereto which is caused by a pair of diverging tongues 41 and 4 2 of equal length extending from the shaft and ixedly connected thereto. Mounted in the path of'upward and downward movements of the respective tongues is the head 43 of a threaded adjustable pin 44. Normally, when the carrier is in its'lowered position to receive the load, thev hooks 36 are disposed in a swung back position as shown in Figure 13 ofthe drawings, and as the carrier is lifted upward by the hoisting mechanism presently tobe described, tongue 41 strikes the pin 44 ltoienable an operator to lift them from their supporting platform. The pin 44 ismade adjustable to compensate for any wear between the headr of the same and the tongues 41 and 42 and for regulating the extent of 'turningfmovement imparted to the shaft 40.

For preventing the weight of the cans lcontained on theqplatform 30 from tilting the sameV outward, I employ-suitable stop means which embodies'angle plates-45 riveted to the front end of' the carrier frame and which strikes against co-actingstop plates 46 Abolted tov-theframe 119 of the carriages 17'. The carrier is free toswing inward but 'ijs held against outward swinging movement- Having' specifically described the details of construction and operation ofthe can car-- rier and its supporting carriages, I shall now setforth the means by which the carriages are simultaneously lifted and lowered' by sliding over the I'beams 15. For this purpose, I. provide'driven shafts 47 journalled in suitable'bearings 48 supported in thecross rails 16 and which shafts are arranged parallel to the {side-'rails 11: of the chassis. 'The shafts 47 on opposite sides of the chassis koperate, inuconnection with the respective Vloading mechanisms A'and B so that a description ofthe operativeconnections of' ont will sufiice for the other. The shaft 47 has flexible `universal jointsf 49 'adjacent its respective ends, while the front end ofthe shaft extendsinto'` a gear housing 50 andthe rear end into a gear housing 51, both housings being securely bolted to the framestructure 12. F iXed to the shaft 47 and contained within the housings 50 and 51 are gears 52 which constantly mesh with worms 53 journaled by shafts 54 in the walls of the housings. Fixed to the worm shafts 54 and rising therefrom just short of the tops of the l-beams 15, are screws 55, journaled at their top ends in bearings 56 mounted on brackets 56 extending outwardly from the sides of the I-beams. From the limited description thus far, it will be seen that rotation of the driven shaft 47 will impart simultaneous rotation to the front and rear screws to cause vertical movement of nuts 57 threaded thereon. Reverse rotation of thedriven shaft imparts reverse rotation to the screws and like reverse movements to the nuts 57. Guide rods 58 are mounted in the bearings 56, the rear one of which may be stationary while the front one is slidable. The rods 58 pass through the nuts to prevent rotation of the same during turning of the screws.

The nuts 57 have pulleys 59 turnably mounted on the inner sides thereof over which cables 60 are trained. One end of the cables are fixedly connected to the brackets 56 as at 61, while `the other ends are passed over pulleys 62 journalled in brackets 63 mounted atthe tops of the I-beams 15, and brought down and iXedly connected to the frames of the carriages 17 as at 64. When the can carrier is in lowered position, the nuts 57 are adjacent the top ends of the screws at which time the leads C of the cables between pulleys 59 and 62 are relatively short, while the leads D of the cables between pul leys 62 and their point of connection 64 are relatively long. However, upon rotation of the screws in one direction by reason of their operative connection with the driven shaft 47 the nuts 57 will be fed downward causing the lengthening of the leads C and thev shortening of the leads D, which results in theupward movement of the can carrier 18.

The driven shafts 47 derive their power from a power take-off 65 operatively connected with the usual transmission66 of the motor truck. The engine shaft 67 (see Figure 19) drives the transmissionin the usual manner `which when rotating drives a gear 68 in the transmission which meshes with a gear 69 journalled in the housing 70 of the operating the lever back and forth the gear 72 may be moved into mesh with the gear 69 to derive power therefrom.

Coupled to one end of the shaft 71 by a universal oint 77 is a shaft 78 which extends rearwardly for operative connection with the body raising' and lowering mechanism 79. This mechanism 79 is old in the art and it is not believed necessary to go into detail regarding the constructionand operation of the same, other than to say that the shaft 78 drives the mechanism which is controlled by suitable manual control means 7 9 operable from the drivers seat of the vehicle. The body raising and lowering mechanism has merely been shown. to illustrate that the power for operating the same is taken from the power take-olf 65.

Coupled to the forward end of the shaft 71 by a universal joint 7 8 is a shaft 79, which shaft is in turn coupled with a shaft 80 by a universal joint 81. The shaft 80 is journalled in a housing 82 and has a worm 83 thereon for constant meshing engagement with a gear 84 also contained within said housing and mounted on a transverse shaft 85 which extends therethrough with its ends extending into the housings 50 on opposite sides of the chassis. `This transverse shaft 85 constitutes the means by which power is transmitted to the hoisting and lowering mechanisms A and B on opposite sides of the truck. Each end of the said shaft 85 carries a bevel gear 86 which constantly meshes with bevel gears 87 and 88 freely rotatable upon the shaft 47 (see Figures 6 and 7) whereby rotation of the gear 86 willimpart simultaneous reverse rotation to the gears 87 and 88, but in view of the fact that they are freely rotatable on their supporting shaft, no power will be transmitted to the shaft unless some operative connection is provided between the same. For this purpose, I provide a slidable clutch sleeve 89 which is splined to the shaft 47 intermediate the gears 87 and 88. The inner side of the gears 87 and 88 are provided with clutch surfaces 90` and 91 respectively for select-ive engagement with mating surfaces 92 and 93 on opposite ends` of the clutch sleeve.

For manually shifting `the clutch sleevev 97 provided with a right angularly disposed yoke 98 which engages a collar 99 fixed to the lower end of the front guide rod 58. Spaced upper and lower stops 100 and 101 are provided on the front guide rod for engagement with the nut 57 upon the limit of its upward Y movement in opposite directions. When the leveror control handle 97 depends 1n a vertical position as shownin Figure lof the drawings, the clutch 89 is-in neutral position, but when moved toward the right, the gear 88 is operatively connected with the shaft 47 through theclutch sleeve 89 which rotates the screws 55 to cause the nuts 57 to move downward to raise the can 'carrier 18 through the arrangement of cables and pulleys. Movement of the handle to the right causes the arm 98 thereof to raise the forward guide rod 58 so thatl when the nut strikes the stop 101 it movessame downward which automatically returns the control handle to neutral position, thus disengaging the clutch 89 and gear 88 which stops rotation of the screws 55. Assuming that the nuts 57 are Vin a lowered position as shown in Figure 5'of the drawing and the can carrier is in raised position, and it is `desired to lower the can carrier, the control handle 97 is moved to the left causing the arm 98 to depress the guide rod 58 which lowers the'upper stop 100 in the path of upward movement of the nut 57. The movement of the lever toward the left shifts the clutch sleeve 89 into clutching engagement with the bevel gear 87 which in turn transmits a reverse tui-ning movement to the screws 55 to feed the nuts upward. Just before reaching the eXtreme upward movement, the nut on the forward vguide rod strikes the Stop 100 and lifts .the said rod to return the lever and clutch collar to neutral position to prevent turning of the screws. It will therefore be seenthat the raising and lowering of the can carrier is automatically controlled after the lever 97 has been manually moved to a selected position to either raise or lower the carrier. Y

Having described all of the different constructions of mechanisms and their respective operations, I shall now proceed to eX- plain the meansby which the can carrier is automatically tilted to emptyV the contents of the cans upon reaching the top, and returned to normal position as the can carrier begins its downward movement. FiXedly mounted on the trunnions 28 of thecan carrier are segmental i members 102 provided in their curved edges with grooves 103 in which sprocket chains 104 seat, and which have one of their ends fiXedly attached thereto as at 105 andtheir other free ends carry hooks 106, the bills of which face inwardly and ride against vertical rails 107 mounted on the frame structure 12 to prevent Vaccidental inward swinging of the hooks during travel of the truck. Guard plates or shields 108 are mounted on the carriage 17 to overlie` the segmental members asshown in Figure 17 of the drawings for excluding dust and dirt from the chain grooves in the segmental members.

rovided at the tops of the rails 107 arehook engaging shoulders 109 which are formed by securing plates to the outer faces of the rails and whichshoulders are undercutas at 110 to the path of upward movement of the hooks.

In operation of this tilting mechanism, the

can carrier rises vertically from the lowered position shown in Figure 15 by the driving mechanism hereinbefore described, and as it nears the top, the hooks engage beneath the shoulders 109 and further upward movement causes a pull upon the chains 104 which imparts a turning movement to the segmental members and consequently to the can carrier, which swings the carrier inwardly to a tilted position above the truck body 13, whereupon the contents of the cans 32 are simultaneously emptied. The inward swinging movement of the can carrier is limited by alongitudinal bar 111 mounted in the frame structure and which relieves the strain of the weight of the carrier and loaded cans from the trunnions of the carrier during the brief dumping operation. The can carrier is so pivoted that after the cans have been emptied of their contents and the lowering mechanism is put in operation so that the hooks 106 ldisengage the shoulders 109, and the bar 111 has turned the can carrier past the center of its axis, the weight of the lower ends of the carriers will cause them to swing downto normal position.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that I have provided a self loading truck in which thel ash or refuse cans may be placed upon a carrier lowerable to a position within a short distance of a curb or street level, and which cans are automatically locked i upon raising of the carrier by an operator placing the mechanism in operation, which carrier is automatically tilted upon reaching a point above the truck body to empty the contents of the cans, and the operating mechanism automatically shutl off. To return the empty cans` tothe street level, the operator again places theV operating mechanism in motion, and the'carri er returns to its lowered position, and automaticallyA unlocks the cans from the carrierto permit an operator to remove the same therefrom with little or noefort.

It will be appreciated that I have constructed a self loading vehicle in which all of the mechanism is supported upon the chassis instead of on the body, which relieves the body of excess strain, and does not interfere with the movement of the body dumping mechanism.

4While I have described what I deem to be the most desirable embodiment of my invention, it is obvious that many of the details may be varied without in any Way departing from the spirit of my invention, and I therefore do not limit myself tothe exact details of construction herein set forth no'r to anything less than the whole of my invention limited only by the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is l. In a can loading apparatus for trucks, a pair of rails, vertical movable carriages slidable over said rails, a can carrier journalled for turning movement in said carriages, co-acting means between said carriages and said cancarrier for limiting outward tilting of said can-carrier, and automatic means for tilting said can carrier inwardly upon reaching the limit of its upward movement, said automatic means including segmental members iXedly carried at the ends of said can-carrier, and chains having one of their ends fixedly connected to said segmental members and their other ends provided with hook elements adapted to engage a stationary part in the path of upward movement of the same.

2. In a truck having a chassis and a body supported thereby, a frame structure supported by said chassis beyond the side of said body, a vertically movable inwardly tiltable can-carrier, raising and lowering means for said can-carrier, segmental members Xedly mounted on said can-carrier, chains having one of their ends fiXedly connected to said segmental members and engageable with the arcuate face of said segmental members with their other ends depending therefrom, hooks provided on the depending ends of said chains, and hook engaging elements mounted on said frame structure in the path of upward movement of said hooks for engagement thereby to cause the inward tilting of said can-carrier upon the extreme upward move ment of the same.

3. In a truck having a chassis and a body supported thereby, a frame structure supported by said chassis beyond the side of said body, a vertically movable inwardly tiltable can carrier, raising and lowering means for said can-carrier, segmental members iiXedly mounted on said can carrier, chains having one of theirends iXedly connected to said segmental members and engageable with the arcuate face of said segmental members with their other ends depending therefrom, hooks provided on the depending ends of said chains, and hook engaging elements mounted on said frame structure in the path of upward movement of said hooks for engagement thereby to cause the inward tilting of said can-carrier upon the extreme upward movement of the same, and a longitudinal bar mounted on said frame structure for striking engagement by said can-carrier for limiting inward tilting movement thereof.

4. In a truck having a body, a can carrier vertically movable with respect to said body, individual can clamping means on said can carrier, each including a pivoted hook engageable with the upper edge of a can to be held thereby, and automatic means Jfor simultaneously actuating the hooks of all the can clamping means into locking position upon upward movement of said can carrier and for releasing said hooks prior to the limit of downward movement of said can-carrier, said automatic means including a rock shaft operatively connected to all of said hooks, divergent tongues extending outwardly from said rock shaft, and a iiXed actuating pin eX- tending into the path of upward and downward movement of the respective tongues.

5. In a truck having a chassis, vertically disposed screws rotatably mounted thereon, load supporting means including a vertically movable carriage, means rigid with said chassis and providing top bearings for said screws, nuts mounted on said screws, guides for said nuts between said chassis and said rigid means, said nuts vertically slidable on said guides, revolvable means carried by said nuts, rotatable means carried on said rigid means, and flexible means iiXedly attached at one of their ends to said rigid means, said flexible means passing over the rotatable means on said nuts and over the rotatable means on said rigid means, the other ends of said iiexible means adapted to be attached to said carriage for moving a load vertically during rotation of the screws.

In testimony whereof I have aiiiXed my signature.

ROBERT S. BOLGER. 

